BEIJING -- All the autonomous areas in China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region fully exercise the power to govern their local affairs, and participate as equals in the administration of state affairs, said a white paper issued on Wednesday.

Since 1979, the People's Congress of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and its standing committee have formulated a total of 669 local regulations, with 161 currently in effect, said the white paper titled "Respecting and Protecting the Rights of All Ethnic Groups in Xinjiang," which was issued by the State Council Information Office.